Smith k



(No Model.)

S. K'. REYNOLDS.

ANIMAL TRAP.

Patented Oct. 27, 1885.l

INITED STATES PATENT Orricn.

SMITH K. REYNOLDS, OF SAN JOS, CALIFORNIA.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 329,082, dated October 27, 1885.

Application filed March 28,1885. Serial No.160,507. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, SMITH K. REYNOLDS, of San Jos, county of Santa Clara and State of California, have invented an Improvement in Animal-Traps; and I hereby declare the following to loe a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to a new and useful animal-trap; and it consists in a Vswinging platform or tray adapted to receive the earth which is usually thrown up by ground animals, such as gophers and squirrels; in a hammer or lock engaged by said platform or tray, and adapted to be tripped by its movement; in a suitable seat or chamber for a cartridge containing a projectile and adapted to be exploded by the hammer, and in a peculiar' grapple set and tripped by the lock, all of which I shall hereinafter fully explain.

The object of myinvention is to destroy small animals, such as gophers, moles, groundsquirrels, and the like.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my animaltrap, showing it set and ready for use. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of same, showing the tray and hammer disengaged, the grapple being omitted.

A is a box or casing provided with a hinged lid or top, a, whereby access may be conveniently had to the interior. This lid is an open-top one, and has secured upon it a standard, B, in the top of which is a chamber or seat, b, for the explosive cartridge G, which contains a suitable projectile, such as a bullet, a spear, or lance.

D is the hammer, the base of which, extending downwardly through the lid, is provided with a cross-shaft, d, mounted in bearings d under thelid. Acoil-spring, E,wound around the cross-shaft and secured appropriately to the lid, causes the hammer when released to strike against the cartridge. The upper portion of the hammer is formed into a backwardly-turned hook, e.

Within the box is a platform or tray, F, the forward ,end of which is entirely free of the box, and the rear end is pivoted to a shaft, f, whereby said tray may have a movement through a vertical arc within the outer casing. The rear top edge of the tray is provided with a smallthumb-piece, h, and with a flange, H.

set it, the lid a is fitted to its place on the top of the box, and the tray F is turned on its pivot-shaft, so that its forward end rises in the box, this movement being readily effected by the thumb-piece h on its rear end. While still holding the tray in this position, the hammer D is turned back to an approximately horizontal position until its curved hook c engages the flange H of said tray, whereby the tray is held in a raised position and the hammer is fixed. This backward movement of the hammer, acting through the bail K, raisesthe grapple I. The trap is now placed with its forward enddown in the gopher-hole.` The gopher, as is well known, finding his burrow partially or wholly closed, returns toward its mouth, and his first action is to fill up the hole on account of the disturbance indicated by the exclusion of light. He throws the dirt upwardly, which falls through the open front of the lid a into the tray F. When the weight of the earth becomes sufficient, the forward end of the tray is depressed, thus drawing the flange H on its rear end away from its engagement with the hammer, thereby tripping said hammer, which, under the iniiuence of its spring, dies up to its position and explodes the cartridge with the effect of sending the projectile forward into the hole with every chance of lodging in the gopher.

At the same time the grapple falls of its ownv weight and secures him, preventing his escape in case he is not killed outright. Byapivoted thumb-plate, M, on the base of the standard D, I can prevent the hammer from striking the cartridge by interposing said plate. This renders the trap safe when not in use. The Whole trap is simple in construction, easily handled, and is effective in operation.

Having thus described my invention',what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an animal-trap, a swinging or pivoted IOO platform' or tray adapted to receive the earth thrown by the animal, in combination with a pivoted springhammer or lock engaging the platform or tray, and tripped by its move- 5 ment, whereby it 4is adapted to explode a loaded cartridge, substantially as 'herein described.

2. In an animal-trap, a swinging or pivoted platform or tray adapted to receive the earth lo thrown by the animal, aspring-hammer orlock engaging the platform or tray, andtripped by its movement, and a holder containing a projectile adapted to be exploded by the hammer when disengaged from theplatform or tray, l5 substantially as herein described.

3. In an animal-trap, the open-top box A and the tray F, pivoted by its rear end'in said box, in combination with the swinging springhammer D, adapted to engage the rear end of the box, and the standard B, containing a cartridge against which the hammer is adapted to strike, substantially as herein described.

4. In an animal-trap, the open-top box A and the tray F, pivoted by its rear end in said box, in combination with the standard B, adapted to seat a cartridge, and the swinging spring-hammer D, adapted to engage the rear endl of the tray and to strikevthe cartridge wheny disengaged from said tray, substantially as herein described.

5. In an animal-trap, the box A, having open-top lid a, and the standard B on said top in which to seat the cartridge C, in combination with the hammer D, having the shaft d, pivoted in top a, and a spring, E, and the tray F, within the box, pivoted at its rear end and adapted to engage the hammer, substantially as herein described.

6. In an animal-trap, the box A, having an 4o open top, the standard B, and the grapple I,

and the tray F, pivoted by its rear end in the box, and having a ange, H, on its rear top edge, in combination with the standard B, in which to seat the cartridge C, and the springhammer D, having al hooked top, e, adapted to engage the ange H of the tray, substantially as herein described. 5 55 8. An animal-trap comprising the open-top box A, the tray F, pivoted therein and having a flange, H, the standard B, secured to the top ofthe box, the grapple I, pivotally mounted on the standard, the pivoted spring-hammer D, having a hooked top, e, and the bail K on the grapple and engaged by the hammer, all substantially as herein described.

9. An animaltrap comprising the box A, having an open-top lid, a, the tray F, pivoted by its rear end in said box, and having a flange, H, and a thumbpiece, h, on its rear top edge, the standard B, secured to the top ofthe box, the cartridge C in the standard, the hammer D, having a shaft, d, pivoted in the top of the box, and a hooked top, e, adapted to engage the flange H of the tray, and the spring E, by which the hammer is operated, all arranged substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my 75. hand.

SMITH K. REYNOLDS. Vitnessesf J. N. SPENsER, WV. M. BAYNAN. 

